Marloes Coenen has signed with Bellator MMA. | Dave
Mandel/Sherdog.com

After nearly a year without any female mixed martial arts weight
classes, Bellator
MMA has jumped back into the fold with a women’s featherweight
division.

The promotion announced via press release on Thursday that Marloes
Coenen and Julia Budd
would be the first competitors included in the women’s 145-pound
roster.

“We’re incredibly excited to bring in two of the best athletes
competing in our sport today,” Bellator President Scott Coker said
in the release. “We are making a commitment to bring back the
female division to Bellator and feature some of the world’s best in
the Bellator cage.”

Coenen is a former Strikeforce
bantamweight champion and has amassed a 21-6 professional record
along the way. A submission specialist, 15 of Coenen’s wins have
come by way of tapout, including 12 in the opening round.

"After fighting professionally for over 15 years, I am honored to
be invited into the Bellator cage,” Coenen saide. “Fighting for
Bellator brings my spirit back for fighting. It is great to be
working together with Scott Coker again as we both have the same
vision on fighting. My style is fighting with the objective to
knock my opponent out or to submit her. That is exactly what I am
planning to do the very first second I step into the Bellator
cage.”

Budd will enter Bellator having previously fought for both
Strikeforce and Invicta FC. The Canadian is best known for her
strong ties to muay Thai and currently is in the midst of a
four-fight win streak.

“I’m ecstatic about the opportunity that Bellator is giving the 145
female division, and I’m especially excited to be one of the first
females to fight for Scott Coker under the Bellator banner,” Budd
said in the press release. “This gives me the opportunity to
showcase my skills as one of the best fighters in the world on one
of the biggest stages in the world.”